Top August Events in the East Bay

Hear jazz at the Lesher Center for the Arts; catch a Corvette car show in Danville; watch theater alfresco; and more top events.

By Emilie White

Published: July 27, 2018

Lesher Center for the Arts in downtown Walnut Creek.

Photo courtesy of Ben Krantz

Music

2018 Jazz at the Lesher Center Concert Series
7/28, 8/11, 8/18, 8/25 From trumpeter and vocalist Bria Skonberg, to virtuoso pianist Marcus Roberts, to internationally acclaimed artists Eliane Elias and Gerald Clayton, jazz luminaries light up the Lesher Center for the Arts all month long in this riveting performance series. lesherartscenter.org.

Festival

The Fremont Festival of the Arts
8/4–8/5 For the 35th year, downtown Fremont throws the West Coast’s largest free art, wine, and music festival—boasting two stages of live bands, plus street performers, artwork, artisanal goods, and of course, fabulous gourmet food and drink options. Children will go wild for the Kid City area, which features magicians, balloon twisters, face painters, and carnival rides. ​fremontfestival.net.

Movie

Free Movie Night
8/9 The second Thursday of each month, Diablo hosts a free movie night at the Orinda Theatre. This month, join us for a trip down the Yellow Brick Road with 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. lamorindatheatres.com.

Film

Moonlight Movies
8/10 Bring the whole family to the Danville Town Green, as the town ends its free summer movie series with the blockbuster superhero flick Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. danville.ca.gov/calendar.

Auto

43rd Annual Vette Magic Car Show
8/12The Blackhawk Museum hosts the Northern California Corvette Association for a celebration of the car many consider to be America’s most beautifully designed vehicle. From 1950s convertibles, to 1960s big blocks, to 1970s T-tops, expect decades of automotive excellence in the Blackhawk Plaza parking lot. ncca​corvettes.org.

Music

Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton
8/18 “Fly Like an Eagle” to the Concord Pavilion for a journey back to the melodic 1970s, with tunes from one of San Francisco’s most famous rock bands and the maestro behind the fabled album Frampton Comes Alive. ticketmaster.com.

Theater

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
8/18–8/19 Shakespeare in the Park takes an uproarious turn as three actors attempt to perform 37 of the Bard’s plays in less than two hours in this fast-paced, farcical show held on the Danville Town Green. village​theatreshows.com.

Comedy

Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life
8/23 Two legendary comedians take over Livermore’s Wente Vineyards to share insights about their films, act out silly sketches, and roast one another. Pianist Jeff Babko and The Steep Canyon Rangers bluegrass band provide musical accompaniment. wentevineyards.com.

Sports

Martinez Clippers vs. Pittsburg Diamonds
8/31 After the community rallied to bring a baseball team to Martinez, the Clippers—named for the moniker of baseball great (and Martinez native) Joe DiMaggio—wrap up their inaugural season with an evening game at Waterfront Park. mtzclippers​.com.

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Faces

To celebrate its spring campaign The Art of Travel, Neiman Marcus hosted a fashion show at its Walnut Creek location. Entrepreneur Sheryl Grant and
social media influencer Sydel Curry-Lee (whose famous family members in attendance included her brother Stephen Curry) spoke at the event, which featured sips, bites, and the opportunity to shop the latest trends with help from jet-setting fashion experts as well.

Opportunity Junction furthered its mission of transforming the lives of low-income families in East Contra Costa with its 2019 fete, which featured gourmet food, drinks, both live and silent bidding, dancing, and inspirational entertainment.

Old Hollywood glam met giving back at this special event from Party In-Kindness. With the mission of raising funds for the Katie Nues Foundation for Katie’s Clinic at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland—which aids patients and their families affected by Rett Syndrome—guests heard from heartwarming speakers and danced to tunes from DJ Lance Callanta.

The Crucible’s signature fundraiser returned for its 20th year, and the industrial arts center celebrated the occasion with the unveiling of a major piece of collaborative art that incorporated many locally sourced elements, including steel from an old span of the Bay Bridge. There were also cocktails, a catered dinner, and a live art auction.

San Leandro’s Davis Street Family Resource Center raised more than $150,000 at this flamboyant, Cuban-themed evening of dinner and dancing; CEO Rose Padilla Johnson proudly announced that it was the organization’s highest-grossing event to date. The funds will help low-income families in the area improve their quality of life through both short- and long-term assistance.

ABC7 San Francisco news anchor Dan Ashley returned to the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek with his yearly fundraiser for Court Appointed Special Advocates, Friends of Camp Concord, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Always a star-studded event (Cheap Trick and Melissa Etheridge have performed in the past), the 2019 extravaganza featured “Lady Marmalade” singer Patti LaBelle.

Berkeley-based Bay Area Children’s Theatre hosted author Chelsea Clinton and illustrator Alexandra Boiger at a special staging of the theatrical adaptation of their best-selling book, She Persisted. The evening also celebrated the company’s Dare to Dream Fund, which provides vital resources to expand the horizons of children and families.

A night of Gatsby-esque elegance led to equally extravagant giving at Yours
Humanly’s Gift of Schooling Gala at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville. The event and its 200 attendees raised more than $90,000 to benefit the nonprofit’s programs, including those focused on aiding low-income children throughout the Bay Area.

The Women’s Artistic Alliance—a powerhouse of philanthropic leaders looking to improve our community through the arts—feted its one-year anniversary with a reception and private performance by country singer-songwriter and Bay Area native Mark Mackay at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts.

At its annual gala, Orinda’s California Shakespeare Theater raised money to support its artistic-engagement and learning programs and honored five individuals—from inspirational artists to devoted community partners—who serve as luminaries in the theatrical world and beyond. This year, the Guiding Star Award was given to the CEO of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Deborah Cullinan.

Underserved children, military personnel, first responders, and sports stars enjoyed a magical night in San Francisco’s Oracle Park at this fundraiser for the Wender Weis Foundation for Children, which helps kids in need. Ex-Giant Hunter Pence and his wife, Lexi, were honored with the Inspiration Award for their charitable work with No Kid Hungry.